Putin Talks to Trump as Russia Sees Endgame in Syria
- Russian leader meets Assad amid flurry of Kremlin diplomacy
- Leaders of Iran, Turkey to meet Putin in Sochi on Wednesday
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Russian President Vladimir Putin talked with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump by phone for about an hour on Tuesday as the Kremlin mounts a diplomatic push to resolve the war in Syria after a visit by Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.
Putin is taking a dominant role in efforts to end the conflict after a two-year Russian military campaign helped his ally Assad fight off opponents, including some backed by the U.S. With Islamic State almost defeated in Syria, the Kremlin is moving to bring together regional and global powers to revive long-stalled efforts to reach a settlement that would cement the Syrian president in power.